Jim Connaughton

James Peter Connaughton entered eternal life at 2:45 pm Central Time on December 19, 2014 surrounded by his faith, family and friends. Jim was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 29, 1945. He was the son of the later George Edward Connaughton and Isabel Egan Connaughton. Jim is survived by his wife Pamela Teachey Connaughton of Plano, Texas, daughter Katherine Connaughton Gann and son in law Andrew L Gann of Garland, Texas, son James Patrick Connaughton and daughter in law Jessica Sann Connaughton of Austin, Texas, son Daniel Owen Connaughton of Plano, Texas and his beloved granddaughter Zoe Norah Connaughton, daughter of Patrick and Jessica. He is also survived by his twin brother George E Connaughton of St. Augustine, Florida, Ellen Connaughton Grady of Avon Lake, Ohio and Dennis J Connaughton of Randolph, New Jersey, many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Jim attended Holy Cross High School in New York City, and graduated from New Bern High School, New Bern, North Carolina in 1963. He went on to become an airframe mechanic at the Naval Air Rework Facility Apprentice School in Cherry Point, North Carolina in 1967. Jim received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of North Carolina in 1971. For over forty years Jim worked at numerous engineering positions ranging from a manufacturing and quality control engineer to a quality assurance plant manager. His employers included the General Electric Company, Rockwell International, Boeing and the EFW Company of Ft. Worth, Texas. Since 1985, Jim was a parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Plano, Texas where he served in several ministries. He was a loyal Carolina Tarheel fan enjoying the NCAA basketball games, especially the March Madness each spring. Jim's life was one of service. Jim was an active member with the Boys Scouts of America first as a loyal scout and later in adult leadership roles. Jim volunteered his time and talents with many service organizations such as the Collin County Meals on Wheels and the Love Truck Ministry. He competed in the annual Walk Around Plano competition completing the 72 miles around the track in 30 days each July at the Carpenter Recreation Center for the last six years. Our family feels so blessed to have shared our time on earth with this humble yet extraordinary man. We will miss Jim's warm smile, his humor, his duty, charity to others and above all the loving devotion to his family. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Jim's honor on Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 11:00 am at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, Texas. A luncheon will be held following the funeral. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Jim's honor to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton's Love Truck Ministry and the Collin County Meals on Wheels. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the many emails, texts, and tender calls of love and support. We read them to Jim and were awe struck by the many accounts of how he made a positive difference in your life too! When death came, take comfort in knowing he left this world with his faith, family and friends surrendering him to God for eternal rest. We had to remind ourselves that we were in America and not in Ireland. We had our parish priest, family and friends gathered to say our good byes and to tell him constantly how much we loved him. The only thing missing was a jug of punch and a turf fire. We leave you now with the closing lyrics from The Parting Glass: But since it falls unto my lot That I should rise and you should not I'll gently rise and softly call Good Night and joy be with you all.